I’ve been watching The Following and I have only one thing I would have done differently thus far. The introduction of Kevin (the guy in the Poe mask) was a great scene in the beginning and I was looking forward to a lot of cat-and-mouse with him and the FBI… (highlight for spoilers). They killed him.

I would have done one thing different: I never would have unmasked Kevin, nor given him a name – he would always be called ‘Poe’. Even when he was hanging out with the others, he never would have taken off the mask and never would speak. Even the others in the cult would have been a little creeped out by ‘Poe’.

Agent Hardy

Tell me about this guy.

(Hands Jordy picture of ‘Poe‘)

Jordy

Poe?

Agent Hardy

Is that his name?

Jordy

I dunno. No one knows. He just showed up with a note from Joe.

Never shows up without the mask on. Never says anything.

Agent Hardy

What does he do?

Jordy

Let me put it to you this way: Joe’s Jesus… Poe’s Saint Peter.

I like the idea of there being one of the followers being waaaaay more out there than the others. We get to see the kind of people that Joe attracts. I like the idea of Joe appearing as a messianic figure and not being seen so much in the present. I like the flashbacks seeing him with the followers – seeing the cult progress and grow. Joe should be this mythological figure in the background. We never see him directly in the present day – flashbacks, video interviews, written statements. Joe shouldn’t be a man, but an abstraction. ‘Poe’ should me more like a demigod. Elemental and horrible in his aspect, he is an extension of Joe’s will. We never know how ‘Poe’ gets his orders, but we know that he’s acting as Joe’s agent outside. We should even suspect that there is more than one ‘Poe’, but we never get any certain indication either way. The only time ‘Poe’ is truly revealed is in the end of the season… and that is when we find out whether or not there is more than one ‘Poe’. Personally? Maybe. It all depends on how the first one is handled. It is an idea that needs to handled carefully – we see him too much and he (and by extension Joe) loses his power. See him too little and he’s nothing more than a bogeyman. If we have to have multiple ‘Poe’s figures, then maybe a second one if we keep the death of the first one dubious and only if it can serve to show just how much power Joe has on his followers. The idea is that ‘Poe’ is the Dragon and Agent Hardy’s worst nightmare: a true believer.

Well – I’ve blathered on enough about this. I need to shower and get to work. Hope y’all have a good day.

Sincerely,

Seething Apathy